A Northwoods Almanac for 1/10 – 1/23/20
Great Lakes High Water
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recent review of December’s water levels in the Great Lakes shows that Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron remain near record highs for this time of year. Lake Superior is currently 0.8 inches below the record high set in 1986 for the beginning of January and is 13 inches above its long-term average. Because of the high waters that are forecast to continue into spring, the International Lake Superior Board of Control “advises all those that may be affected to prepare for potentially severe coastal impacts, especially during periods of strong winds and high waves.”
Lake Michigan-Huron is currently 1.5 inches above the record-high beginning-of-month level set in 1987. The level is 37 inches above average, and 17 inches above last year’s beginning-of-January level.
White-nose Syndrome Vaccination!
White-nose syndrome has killed millions of North American bats since 2006, and there is no known cure. However, a May, 2019, report in the journal Scientific Reports from scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources demonstrated that bats immunized against the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd, were less likely to develop white-nose syndrome (WNS) or die from the disease in two initial scientific trials.
During the trials, scientists found that bats given an oral vaccine or by injection survived at a higher rate than unimmunized bats. The bats also developed specific anti-fungal immune responses suggesting that vaccination could potentially protect bats or reduce the effects of white-nose syndrome by providing them with immunity against Pd. In natural environments, these vaccines could be applied to bats in a jelly-like substance that they would eat as they groom themselves and each other.
This multi-disciplinary teamwork done in Wisconsin could be a game changer in what is now an international effort against WNS.
Losing Loons
Walter Piper of Chapman University in Orange, California, has been studying loons in Oneida County since 1993, and his latest data analysis shows declines in the number of loon chicks produced annually, the number returning to our area after migration, and declines in their individual vitality (please see https://loonproject.org/2019/12/16/why-are-loons-declining/ which I recommend reading in its entirety).
He notes: “There have been good years and bad years for 2-chick [loon] broods, but the overall pattern is clear. Progressively fewer pairs have been able to rear 2-chick broods as the years have passed. In the mid-1990s, about half of all pairs had 1 [or] 2 chicks. Now almost all broods are singletons. Even more striking is the decline in returning chicks. In the mid-90s, we could expect about half of all chicks that we banded to come back to the study area as adults a few years later. Now, only about 1/6 of all banded chicks are ever seen again as adults.
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| photo by Bev Engstrom |
He further writes, “. . . There are not only fewer chicks these days but lighter chicks, leading to the obvious conclusion that low chick mass is a reflection of harder conditions for chicks that leads to lower survival. Furthermore, fewer chicks surviving to fledge should result in fewer young returning as adults, and indeed there are now far fewer young adults in the population than was the case two decades ago. Finally, the smaller young adult population should mean less pressure on territorial breeders to defend their territories. Consistent with this expectation, we now see significantly fewer intruders into territories than we did years ago . . . In short, the entire set of measurements paint a stark and coherent picture.
He summarizes, “. . . Pulling threads together, we have a consistent picture of long-term decline in loon breeding success across a broad swath of lakes, probably owing to a fall in food levels.”
This, by the way, is a demonstration of why we absolutely need in-depth science research within our own DNR.
Solar Energy
Mary and I installed 22 600-watt solar panels at our home this summer, which finally become operational this December after all the necessary, and frustratingly slow, inspections were completed. Combined, the panels promise to provide up to 6.6 kW of electricity, or about $1,000 annually at current rates. Payback, given the tax credits, will be in seven years. After that, we should pay very little, if anything, for our electricity, particularly if we conserve our usage even better than we do now.
This leads me to wonder if considering payback time is an appropriate concept to apply for going solar? Do any of us ever consider payback when we install our furnace, when we buy a car, when we use conventional electricity for our lights and water heaters? No! We accept that we will pay continuously, all our lives, for them. For some reason, however, we’re hung up on payback being a determining factor for installation of solar or wind energy, a concept I would recommend we clearly reconsider.
We are, of course, just one home, but some communities in the Northwoods are attempting much larger conversions to solar. Washburn and Bayfield have up and running 100 kW solar installations on their waste water treatment plants. The Bayfield County Jail and the Bayfield County Highway Garage in Washburn are going solar, as is the Washburn school district. The Bad River Tribe’s health and Wellness Center in Odanah will be partly powered by solar this coming year. See Chequamegon Bay Renewables for more information on these (https://www.cheqbayrenewables.org).
Starting up solar panels one week prior to winter solstice is truly poor timing on our part. Still, we’re producing some electricity, and we’re excited to see what we’ll generate as the winter wanes, the sun grows higher and longer in the sky, and spring arrives. I’ll present the data as we learn it.
Celestial Events
The full moon, known in other traditions as the “Wolf” or “Frost in the Teepee” moon,
occurs tonight, 1/10.
Our days are growing longer by two minutes per day now. In fact, we will hit 9 hours of daylight on 1/13, up from our low of 8 hours and 39 minutes at winter solstice. Certainly not a huge gain so far, but a promise of much longer days to come.
For planet watching, look after dusk for brilliant Venus low in the southwest and setting by 8 p.m. Before dawn, look for Mars and Jupiter, both in the southeast. Jupiter will be lower and much brighter than Mars.
On 1/20, look before dawn for Mars 2° below the waning crescent moon. On 1/22, look also before dawn for Jupiter just above the now sliver of crescent moon.
Lastly, Ron Winter in Boulder Junction emailed that in my December 13 column I wrote, “Now the [Earth’s] tilt starts righting itself,” regarding why our day length is increasing. He noted, “This might cause confusion and misunderstanding among readers. The earth's tilt doesn't change; it is always 23.5° in regards to the earth's orbital plane. The only change is earth's location in its annual journey around the sun, which changes the angle the sun's rays strike at any location.” I appreciate his clarification.
Christmas Bird Count Tallies
The 27th annual Manitowish Waters Christmas Bird Count conducted on 12/14 tallied 22 species, which is below our long-term average of 24 species, and 986 individuals, also below our long-term average of 1,117.
The 14th annual Minocqua Count on 12/19 tallied 26 species and 791 individuals (I don’t have long-term averages for the Minocqua count).
We did see good numbers of pileated woodpeckers on our counts, so I’ve included a photo of one taken during the Minocqua count by Mark Westphal.
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| photo by Mark Westphal |
Winter bird numbers and bird diversity throughout the Northwoods remains low. Canadian birds that typically come south to visit us in winter are remaining north because their food supplies are ample. Thus, take heart, all you disappointed bird watchers – this is good news for the birds! And who knows, it may yet be that the abundance of seeds and berries to our north will decline, and the birds will move south. In the meantime, we’re all saving a lot of money on birdseed.
Thought for the Week
“Knowledge is value; the more we understand the living world around us, the more curiosity and delight we experience, and the more alive we feel.” – John Tallmadge
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